Card marking machine



Dec. 8, 1942.

C. E, BLISS CARD MARKING MACHINE Filed nec. 19, 1940l 2 sheets-sheet 1 t INVENTOR'. CZPF/VKE E 5L/55" BY .A

ATTORNEY.

Deu.` 8, 1942. c. E. BLISS CARD MARKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC. 19, 1940 x INVENTOR. a A65/V55 .5 5.4 /55 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD MARKEN G MACHINE Clarence E. Bliss, Lansing, Mich.

Application December 19, 1940, Serial No. 370,855

(Cl. 33--189l 10 Claims.

This invention relates to card marking machines. More particularly the invention is directed to a novel marker holding frame for vsuch a machine and a plurality of markers adjustably mounted therein.

The invention is especially adapted for marking specially designed score cards to indicate thereon the location of the cups relative to the greens of a golf course.

It is common practice for greenskeepers to move the cups in the various greens of a golf course about from time to time, in order to maintain the greens in good condition. Consequently, after the cups have been moved, a player on the course does not know in what parts of the greens the cups are placed.

Accordingly, itis the principal object of this invention to provide a machine with which a player can mark his score card to indicate the position of the cup on each green.

Another object is to provide a machine of that character which is easily adjusted by the greenskeeper or other authorized person to correspond with changes in the location of the actual cups in the greens.

Briefly, the invention comprises a card receiving base having means to accurately position a golf score card thereon, a marker holding frame having a plurality of openings -therein to receive card markers, a plurality of card markers occupying certain of the openings and adjustably mounted on the frame, and means for applying pressure to the markers to mark the cards.

The machine is primarily adapted fo-r use with golf score cards of standard size having printed thereon a number of diagrams corresponding to the shape of the various-greens of the golf course. Each day the greenskeeper sets the `markers to positions on the frame which will indicate on the respective greens diagrams the location of the cup `on the green. A player can then insert a similar card in the machine, operate the pressure applying means, and thereby leave a small indentation or printed mark on each green diagram. With the card so marked the player can tell as he approaches the green just where to play an approach shot to best advantage.

These objects will more ful-ly appear in the following specication when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention with parts being broken away .to show the interior construction thereof;

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of the device shown in Figure 1;*`

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a plan view-of asCore card adapted for use with the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan View of another form 'of the invention with a part broken away to disclose the construction of the marker holding frame;

and

Figure 6 is a front elevational View of the modication shown in Figure 5.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate one form of the invention. In general it comprises three essential parts, a base Il), a marker holding frame I I, and a pressure plate I2.

The base I0 may be of any suitable form, but preferably it comprises a flat top plate I3, upstanding walls I4, and three lateral flanges I5. The latter are provided with holes I6 'for the reception of suitable fastening means to securey the base to a support. Extending partially around three sides of the top Wall are guide anges I'I, which are upstanding continuations of the walls I4. The guide flanges I'I project above the top plate I3 to receive and locate a score card placed thereon. The guide flanges are cut away at I8 for a purpose `thaty will appear presently. Secured to the lateral anges I5 are three bolts I9 having wing nuts 20 at their upper ends. A coil spring 2| surrounds each bolt I9.

A sheet of rubber or other cushioning material 22 is placed upon the top plate I3.

The marker frame I I is a at plate, preferably formed of metal of a size to t loosely between the guide flanges II. At each of the front corners is a projection 23. A similar projection eX- tends rearwardly from the rear edge of the plate. These projections extend through the cut away portions IB of the guide anges I'I and are provided with holes for the reception of the bolts I9.

The marker frame II has a plurality of regularly arranged rectangular openings 24 formed therein. The openings are arranged in six transverse rows of three, corresponding to the number of greens on an 1,8 hole golf course. At one side of each row of openings and parallel thereto, is an elongated slot 25.

The markers are all identical. Each marker consists of an. elongated bar 26 having a slot ZI therein. Rigidly attached to one end of the bar 26 and projecting downwardly therefrom is a,marking pin 28 (see Fig. 3). The lower end of the marking pin 28 projects slightly below the lower surface of the frame II. Each marker is secured to the marker frame II by a bolt 29 and thumb nut 30, the bolt passing through the slots 25 and 2'I in the frame II and bar 2B respectively. A marker is associated with each opening 24.

The pressure plate I2 is a ilat plate of the same shape as the marker frame. It is provided with projections 3I which are apertured to receive the bolts I9. On the top surface -of the pressure plate I2 is a knob 32 by which pressure may be applied.

Secured to the lower surface of the pressure plate I2 are six spaced apart metal bars 33. The bars are located directly above the rows of openings 24. They are somewhat thicker than the thumb nuts 3D and are adapted to engage the upper surfaces of the bars 26 whereby pressure on knob 32 can be applied directly to bars 26 and marker pins 28.

The card which the device just described is intended to mark is shown in Figure 4. The card has I8 squares ruled thereon. The squares are numbered from 1 to 18. Within each square is a scale diagram of the correspondingly numbered green on the golf course, the diagrams being designated by the numeral 34.

To use the marking machine, the greenskeeper or other authorized person marks in pencil on each green diagram the approximatelocation of the cup. The card is then laid on the rubber cushion 22 of the base with its edges in contact with the flanges II. The marker frame is then placed over the card, with the bolts I9 in the holes in projections 23. The thumb nuts 30 are loosened, the marker pins adjusted to positions over the respective pencil marks on the green diagrams, and the thumb nuts again tightened. The pressure plate is then placed in position and the wing nuts 20 are placed` on bolts I9 to keep the parts in assembled relation. The card is removed and the machine is ready for operation.

When a player sets out to play the course, he inserts his score card in the marking machine by sliding it in between the cushion 22 and the marker frame. Pressure is then applied to knob 32, which causes the marker pins to contact the card and leave an imprint on each green diagram indicating the position of the cup on that green.

Figures and 6 show a modified form of the invention. It comprises a base 50, a marker frame 5I, and a pressure plate 52.

The base 50 is identical with the base IU previously described. It has a top plate 53, upstanding guide ilanges 54, and lateral flanges 55 to which bolts 56 are attached.

The marker frame 5I is a flat plate, preferably -made of some transparent material, such as a suitable plastic, although it may be made of metal. Its profile is the same as that of marker plate I5. A large number of small openings 51 are formed in the marker plate. Preferably the openings are arranged in a regular pattern and as close together as practicable.

A number of individual marking pins 58 are provided. The pins have cylindrical shanks 59 which t in the openings 51. The upper ends of the pins are cylindrical also, but of much greater diameter.

The pressure plate 52 is a nat plate similar to plate I2 previously described, but it has no knob and no bars on its lower surface.

Pivotally attached by a pin 60 to the rear flange 55 is a lever 6I. The lever has a projection 62 adapted to engage the pressure plate 52 centrally thereof.

In using this modification of the invention,

a card is marked in pencil as before and placed in the machine. The marker pins are then placed in the openings 51 most nearly corresponding to the location of the pencil marks. 'Ihe pressure plate is then fastened in place to prevent removal of the marker pins.

The players card can then be inserted and downward pressure applied to the lever 6I. This pressure is transmitted through the pressure plate to the heads of the marking pins and thence to the card, forming a suitable mark on each green diagram.

This modication is not quite as accurate as the previously described device, since the openings 51 may not correspond exactly with the location of the cup on the green diagram. However, for all practical purposes it is suiciently accurate, and is much simpler and less expensive to build.

The specic machines just described have been designed especially for use in connection with 18 hole golf courses. It will be obvious, however, that by suitable changes they can be adapted to mark cards for courses having either more or less than 18 holes. The cards used with the machines will have diagrams of only the greens of the particular golf course for which they are designed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides a simple, inexpensive, easily adjusted machine for marking golf score cards in the manner described. However, other uses for the device will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Hence the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base having card locating means thereon, a marker holding frame mounted on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, said marker holding frame having a Vplurality of relatively large openings therein, a plurality of markers mounted on said frame and having portions occupying said openings and projecting from 0pposite sides of said frame, said markers being adjustably connected t0 said frame for movement within vthe limits of the respective openings and parallel to the plane of the frame, and means for engaging the ends of said markers remote from the base and for simultaneously applying pressure to all of said markers.

2. A device of the character described in claim 1 wherein each of said markers comprises an elongated slotted bar, a pin on one end of said bar projecting through one of said openings, and means extending through the slot in the bar for clamping said bar to said marker holding frame.

3. A device of the character described in claim 1 wherein said marker holding frame is provided with a plurality of elongated slots located adjacent to said openings, and clamping means adjustably mounted in said slots and connected to said markers for clamping the latter to said marker holding frame.

4. A device of the charactel` described comprising abase having card locating means thereon, a marker holding frame mounted on said base for movementA perpendicularly thereto and being spaced from said base to permit the insertion therebetween of a card, said marker holding frame comprising a flat plate having a large number of regularly arranged openings therein of relatively small diameter and Varranged relatively close together, a plurality of markers, each of said markers having Val shank of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of said openings, said shanks being positioned in certain of said openings and projecting through said frame, said markers having heads of greater diameter than the diameter of said openings, and means for engaging the heads of said markers for simultaneously applying pressure thereto.

5. A device of the character defined in claim 4 wherein said markers are removably mounted in certain of the openings in said marker holding frame whereby to permit rearrangement of the markers with respect to the frame.

6. A device of the character described comprising a base having card positioning means thereon, a marker holding frame mounted on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, said marker holding frame having a plurality of openings therein and being spaced from said base to permit the insertion therebetween of a card, a plurality of card markers adjustably mounted on said frame, each of said markers occupying one of said openings and projecting from opposite sides of said frame, said markers having means thereon for holding them in a predetermined position relative to the plane of the frame, and means for engaging the ends of the card markers remote from the base and simultaneously applying pressure to all of said markers.

7. A device of the character described comprising a base having card positioning means thereon, a marker holding frame mounted on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, said marker holding frame having a plurality of openings therein and being spaced from said base to permit the insertion therebetween of a card, a plurality of card markers adjustably mounted on said frame, each of said markers occupying one of said openings and projecting therethrough toward said base, said markers having means thereon for holding them in a predetermined position relative to the plane of the frame, and means for moving said frame and markers toward said base to apply pressure thereto.

8. A device of the character described comprising a base having card locating means thereon, a marker holding frame mounted on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, said marker holding frame having a plurality of relatively large openings therein arranged in parallel rows, a marker associated with each opening and projecting therethrough, said markers being adjustably connected to said frame for movement any- Where within the limits of the respective openings and parallel to the plane of the frame, and a pressure plate having a plurality of elongated projections thereon parallel to said rows of openings for engaging the ends of said markers remote from the base and simultaneously applying pressure thereto. f

9. A device of the character described comprising a base having card locating means thereon,

a marker holding frame, means resiliently supporting said frame on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, said marker holding frame having a plurality of large openings therein, a plurality of markers mounted on said frame and having portions thereof occupying said openings and projecting from the frame toward the base, said markers being adjustably connected to the frame for movement anywhere within the limits of the respective openings and parallel to the plane of the frame, and a pressure plate mounted on the base parallel to theframe for applying pressure to said markers, said pressure plate having depending projections thereon for engaging said markers.

10. A device of the character described comprising a base having card locating means thereon, a marker holding frame, means for resiliently supporting said marker holding frame on said base for movement perpendicularly thereto, a plurality of markers secured to said frame and projecting therefrom toward said i base, said markers being adjustably connected to said frame for movement in any direction parallel to the plane of the frame, and a pressure plate secured t0 said base for movement perpendicularly thereto and adapted to engage the ends of said markers remote from the base to apply pressure simultaneously to all of said markers.

CLARENCE E. BLISS. 

